President Obama made three specific references to LGBT people, asserting that the Democrats were the party to help move the country forward on key national issues, including the freedom to marry and the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the discriminatory policy that prohibited gay and lesbian service members from serving openly. He explained that this progress would only be possible with engagement from party members. He said:

You're the reason a young immigrant who grew up here and went to school here and pledged allegiance to our flag will no longer be deported from the only country she's ever called home; why selfless soldiers won't be kicked out of the military because of who they are or who they love; why thousands of families have finally been able to say to the loved ones who served us so bravely: "Welcome home."

If you turn away now - if you buy into the cynicism that the change we fought for isn't possible...well, change will not happen. If you give up on the idea that your voice can make a difference, then other voices will fill the void: lobbyists and special interests; the people with the $10 million checks who are trying to buy this election and those who are making it harder for you to vote; Washington politicians who want to decide who you can marry, or control health care choices that women should make for themselves.

Only you can make sure that doesn't happen. Only you have the power to move us forward.

We don't think that government can solve all of our problems," Obama said, "but we don't think that government is the source of all of our problems any more than are welfare recipients, or corporations, or unions, or immigrants, or gays, or any other group we're told to blame for our troubles.

The level of visibility for the LGBT community was at an all-time high during the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Not only did the party announce its support for ending the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage, but Democratic speakers championed the freedom to marry again and again during their speeches.

Join us in thanking the Democratic Party and President Obama for supporting the freedom to marry by signing our "thank you" letter to the party. SIGN THE LETTER HERE!